It's no secret that the only hope that exists for the Chicago Cubs is in their farm system. Top to bottom, they're one of the best in baseball; they were ranked No 4, according to Keith Law of ESPN Insider (subscription required).
Names like Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Albert Almora and Jorge Soler have become commonplace in Chicago as optimistic fans look past this season and into 2015 and beyond. However, the entire farm system doesn't consist of elite prospects who are sure to make an impact at the major league level.
There are always players who burst onto the scene that nobody sees ...

It has been a long winter so far for Cubs fans in the Windy City. Two polar vortices and a failed attempt to land prized Japanese hurler Masahiro Tanaka have kept Cubs fans spirits in the proverbial icebox. There is hope, though, on the horizon, as pitchers and catchers officially report to Mesa in less than a month.
Let’s take a look at the pitchers and catchers that project to play key roles for the Cubs in 2014.
The Starting Rotation
The Cubs entered the offseason with hopes of improving a pitching staff that was close to the statistical bottom in most categories ...

Most of the noise coming out of Chicago this winter (other than the strong gusts of wind during the recent winter vortex) has been concerning pitcher Jeff Samardzija's future with the Cubs. The former standout wide receiver from Notre Dame has been the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons this offseason.
It seems that reports have been varying daily on Samardzija's future in Chicago. That's mostly due to the fact that neither the organization nor Samardzija himself is completely sure what the near future of the franchise holds. With so many top prospects waiting in the wings, the ...

The 2014 Chicago Cubs have several highly touted prospects in their minor league system. The likes of Javier Baez, Albert Almora and Kyle Hendricks have been mentioned as future building blocks for the North Siders.
Who else could be added to the list?
Here are five underrated prospects who could play key future roles for the Cubbies.Begin Slideshow

There's no doubt that the Cubs' front office would've loved to make a splash this offseason by signing Japanese pitching phenom Masahiro Tanaka. However, for the money that Tanaka ended up receiving from the Yankees, it may have turned out to be more like a belly flop.
Tanaka received a seven year, $155M deal from the Bronx Bombers who are back to their usual frivolous spending on players such as Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury. Even while spending the money they did, the deal made sense for the Yankees. They're ready to compete now and they have the money and willingness ...

After Mark Gonzalez of the Chicago Tribune reported earlier today that the Chicago Cubs had reached agreements with three of their arbitration eligible players, five players were left for the Cubs to negotiate with before arbitration hearings begin on February 1.
According to the report, the Cubs have reached agreements with Nate Schierholtz, whose salary jumped from $2.25 million to $5 million, James Russell on a one-year, $1.775 million deal and Luis Valbuena on a one-year, $1.71 million deal. That leaves starting pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood, reliever Pedro Strop, second baseman Darwin Barney and outfielder Justin Ruggiano as arbitration-eligible players ...

If you were scratching around Twitter earlier this week, you’ll likely have noticed that people don’t like the Chicago Cubs' new mascot.
The Cubs released pictures and literature Monday afternoon introducing the franchise's first official mascot: a pants-less, backward hat-wearing character dubbed "Clark the Cub."
As mentioned, Wrigleyville’s new kid-critter was met with mixed reviews—or perhaps more accurately, a torrent of negative feedback. The mascot was widely touted as gimmicky, immature and unprofessional.
Shortly after the Cubs' announcement, Tom Ley of Deadspin (NSFW) entered the fray and asked readers to fire up their Adobe Creative Suite and do horrible, abominable things to the new mascot. ...

Believe it or not, there is relief from the polar vortex that has been sweeping the nation.
Just close your eyes.
Picture yourself in beautiful, 70-degree Mesa, Arizona. The sun is baking down on you as you watch the Cubs stroll out to the practice field. First baseman Anthony Rizzo waves as a little boy in a Cubs hat asks for his autograph.
You can feel the energy around you, like the ninth inning of a close game in September. There's no salt or brown slush on the ground, only the flurry of baseballs flying through the air.
Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
Spring training ...

Exactly one month before pitchers and catchers report to spring training for the Chicago Cubs, it's time to look ahead to the 2014 season. As the rebuild continues, hope is finally on the horizon.
Especially leading into spring training—where hope springs eternal for all 30 major league teams—people will want to think of the year ahead for their favorite teams.
With that said, based on their activity this offseason and how the organization looks moving forward, here are five bold predictions for the Cubs' 2014 season.Begin Slideshow

The Chicago Cubs have been around for more than a century, but the 2014 season will be the first time in modern history that the franchise will have a mascot.As MLB.com's Carrie Muskat wrote, "Clark" will be introduced this week:
Here's new #Cubs mascot, Clark pic.twitter.com/VYZhLAxzNB— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) January 13, 2014
Some teams come up with random mascots, but the Cubs are sticking with what makes sense—a cub.For those wondering, the mascot got its name from Clark and Addison, which is the intersection where Wrigley Field is located.Update: Wednesday, January 15, 2:15 p.m. ETThe Chicago Sun-Times is not a fan of the ...